Areas

Illinois Quad Cities

The Illinois Quad Cities is known for historic homes, endless entertainment and impactful employers.

The Broadway District in Rock Island boasts renovated homes within walking distance of an exciting nightlife. The John Deere Headquarters has been located in Moline since 1848.

Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline together comprise 80% of the population in the community with over 100,000 people living in the three “Quad City” towns combined. The Illinois Quad Cities has a total of 125,000 residents.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect weekend activity for your family or you’re looking for a delicious Friday night dinner, you will find it within a 15 minute drive in the Illinois Quad Cities.

Comprised of 946 acres, the Rock Island Arsenal sits on the Mississippi River between Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois. Home to the First Army headquarters, the Rock Island Arsenal now provides manufacturing, logistics, and base support services for the Armed Forces. The Rock Island Arsenal Museum was established on July 4, 1905, and is the second-oldest US Army Museum in the US.

Since their founding in 1837, John Deere has delivered products and services to support those linked to the land. Since its founding, there have been only eight previous captains of the Deere enterprise. Most have been Deere family members. And, although the past few leaders have not been part of the Deere lineage, John Deere remains a family-oriented company determined to uphold the founder’s core values of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation. Deere & Company World Headquarters is currently located in Moline, IL. It employs a majority of Quad City residents, and is also open to the public.

Augustana College is rooted in the liberal arts and sciences and a Lutheran expression of the Christian faith. It’s a college committed to offering a challenging education that develops qualities of mind, spirit and body necessary for a rewarding life of leadership and service in a diverse and changing world. Founded by Swedish Lutheran settlers in Chicago in 1860, Augustana has grown from a small school educating Swedish immigrants into a selective college of the liberal arts and sciences. The 115-acre wooded campus is now located in Rock Island, on the Mississippi River.

The Illinois Quad Cities is surrounded by plenty of beautiful parks, historical areas and miles of bike paths. The Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park provides 155 miles of hiking/biking fun from the Illinois River to the Rock River, with the feeder canal path to Rock Falls. Segments of the trails are open to horseback riding and snowmobiling in season. The path leads to a six-mile section in Milan within Camden Park. Ben Butterworth Parkway, located in Moline, and Schweibert Park, located in Downtown Rock Island, are connected by a river-front bike path and offer fun for the entire family.

Multiple cities within the Illinois Quad Cities offer their own library branch, including the multiple Rock Island branches, the multiple Moline branches, the East Moline branch, the Robert J. Jones Public Library in Coal Valley, and many more. The Illinois Quad Cities, and beyond, are part of the RiverShare Libraries, where your library card grants you access to books from multiple branches within multiple cities. Can’t find the book you need in Rock Island, but it’s at an Iowa branch? Reserve it online and pick it up at your desired location!

In 1816, a garrison of U.S. soldiers arrived and began constructing Fort Armstrong on Rock Island, the largest island in the Mississippi River. Riverboat traffic fueled the growth of several communities in the area. A city plat, under the name Stephenson, was filed in 1835. The name was officially changed to Rock Island in 1841.

The first European settlers came to the location that would be Port Byron in 1828. The area belonged to the Potawatomi people at the time, and during the Black Hawk War of 1832, the settlers relocated to Fort Armstrong on Rock Island. After the war, the settlers returned. The town was founded in 1836, with a name meant to honor Lord Byron, the English poet. The village was incorporated in 1877, and Port Byron real estate has been coveted ever since.

In 1837, a stone-and-brush dam between the south shore of the Mississippi and Rock Island was built. This dam provided the water flow that powered multiple mills. After other factories sprung up, a town was platted with the name Rock Island Mills in 1842. However, the name Moline was later adopted and incorporation in 1848, the same year John Deere relocated his plow company to this growing mill town.

The Geneseo area was first settled when eight families from Genesee County, New York moved to Illinois to form a religious community in 1836 and 1837. The area acted as a station on the Underground Railroad helping escaped slaves to relocate to Northern states where slavery was prohibited. Geneseo was officially incorporated in 1855.

The 2.3 mile village of Coal Valley was established in 1856 by farmers and was quickly expanded by the Coal Valley Mining Company.

East Moline was platted in 1895 as a planned town. However, it wasn’t until John Deere & Company established a factory in 1900 that East Moline was finally incorporated as a village in 1903 and as a city in 1907.

Douglas Park, located in Rock island, was the site of the first National Football League (NFL) game in 1920. The Rock Island Independents beat the St. Paul Ideals 48-0. Both the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers played at Douglas Park during its run as an NFL venue.

Offering quick access to beautiful parks, large employers, and popular local restaurants, the Illinois Quad Cities offers easy living for you and your family.

MetroLINK, the Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District, was honored by the American Public Transit Association (APTA) as the Outstanding Public Transit System of the Year for all agencies in North America carrying between 1-4 million passengers annually. Called the “best of the best” in the industry, APTA presents the award to just three transit systems annually. The organization provides Metro bus service, ADA paratransit and Special Transportation Services, and seasonal passenger ferry boat service with the Channel Cat Water Taxi.

The 3.5 million rides a year taken on MetroLINK services provide a vital connection to jobs, education, healthcare, and retail; supporting our local economy and creating a vibrant quality of life. No matter where you work in the Quad Cities, living in the Illinois Quad Cities can get you where you want to go.

Moline Centre: The Moline Centre encourages economic development within the context of historic preservation. You’ll find restaurants, new and old, located within historical buildings and plenty of events to attend every night of the week. The John Deere Pavilion offers a unique experience for everyone who walks through the door. From the vintage machines to today’s agricultural, construction and forestry equipment, the past and future are yours to discover. Bass Street Landing hosts outdoor events, festivals and gatherings on its raised performance stage. Mercado on Fifth offers shopping and dining in an open air marketspace. Lagomarcino’s, founded in 1908, is both a local chocolate shop and a trip back in time as well.

Downtown Rock Island: Downtown Rock Island houses a wide variety of businesses and restaurants within 175 year-old buildings. Whether you’re interested in arts, food, shopping, health and wellness, or even different species of plants, you will find your niche Downtown. Quad City Arts offers a variety of programs to support the community in addition to their gallery in Downtown. Rozz-Tox is a cafe with the added bonus of an art space that showcases music, film, visual art and literature. ComedySportz matches are fully improvised and feature two teams of comedians competing for points and laughs. Circa 21is a Dinner Playhouse with professional entertainment, performing waitstaff, freshly prepared meals, located in a historic venue. Founded in 1917, the Quad Cities YWCA supports social change, provides child care and promotes fitness and wellness. The Quad City Botanical Center is a public garden that maintains hundreds of plants ranging from tropical varieties to regional perennials.

Broadway Historic District: Broadway is an active 19th century neighborhood in the heart of Rock Island, known for its historic homes, innovative preservation activities and front porch socializing. Broadway is within walking distance to both the Mississippi River and Rock Island’s thriving downtown arts-and-entertainment district. Residents and visitors enjoy close proximity to parks, museums, bike paths, schools and shopping. The Broadway neighborhood became a National Historic District in 1998 and has appeared in Midwest Living and This Old House magazines.

Quad City International Airport: The Quad City International Airport in Moline, IL (MLI), offers dozens of daily flights on four airlines to 11 nonstop or hub/connecting cities. The airport also offers a business center, a full-service restaurant, car rental services and an art showcase prior to the security checkpoint.

John Deere Classic: The John Deere Classic, held annually in July, is the Quad Cities’ premier golf tournament and the only PGA tour event in the region. It has been a breakthrough tournament for multiple players, who earned their first victory on the PGA tour at the local course.

Tug Fest: Tug Fest is a one-of-a-kind event on the banks of the Mississippi River. Visit Port Byron for a weekend full of fun and activities for all ages. Thursday night begins with family night and free admission. Friday night continues with the fireworks, and Saturday brings on the Tug of War across the Mississippi River.

The Camden Centre: The Camden Centre is located within the 90 acre, beautifully landscaped Camden Park. The newly remodeled facility can comfortably seat up to 400 people. Besides banquets and receptions, The Camden Centre now offers state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment for any size business meeting.

Channel Cat: Experience the power of the Rock Island Rapids, considered the most dangerous section of the upper Mississippi. Take the Channel Cat across the Mississippi River as it flows from East to West. Three open-air passenger ferry boats are available to ride. Service is generally provided from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

TaxSlayer Center: Great concerts are just the beginning! The TaxSlayer Center (formerly iWireless Center and The Mark) not only features national concert tours, but is also home to the local hockey team, the Quad City Storm. In addition, the TaxSlayer Center hosts weddings, banquets, meetings and conventions.

Jumer’s Casino & Hotel: In 2008, Jumer’s opened their current facility Jumer’s Casino & Hotel. The state-of-the-art development features a 43,000 one-level casino floor, a 205-room hotel with 11 luxury suites, an Events Center, the Oculus Sports Bar, the Edje nightclub, and four restaurants. Visit it at the junction of Interstate 280 and Highway 92 in Rock Island.

Black Hawk Historic Site: Black Hawk State Historic Site is a wooded, steeply rolling 208-acre tract bordering the Rock River in Rock Island County. Prehistoric Indians and nineteenth-century settlers made their homes here, but the area is most closely identified with the Sauk nation and the warrior-leader whose name it bears – Black Hawk. It’s open year-round from sunrise to 10 P.M.

Becca Scherr

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